Sunday, February 9, 2014

the iconic 2.55 bag

In the early 1920s, Coco Chanel has
decided to design a bag that would allow her to use her arm freely due to her frustration
of having to carry her handbags in her arms during social events. She added thin
straps which were inspired by the straps found on soldier’s bags and introduced
the resulting design to the market in 1929.

After her successful comeback to
the fashion industry in 1954, Coco Chanel updated the bag for modern women. The
bag was created in February 1955, thus the name 2.55. Since then, the Chanel
2.55 flap bag has become the iconic to the Chanel brand.

In commemoration of the 50th
anniversary of the 2.55, Karl Lagerfeld launched the Reissue in February 2005.
The Reissue 2.55 design is exactly as the same as Coco Chanel 2.55 design.

source: www.chanel.com

The features of 2.55 flap bag:

- Quilted diamond or herringbone pattern on the
exterior. The pattern is believed to have been inspired by few sources for
instances; by jockey’s riding coats, by the stained-glass windows of the abby
at Aubazine and by the cushions in Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment.

- - The front lock is called the Mademoiselle Lock (rectangular
shape) because Coco Chanel was never married.

- All chain shoulder straps.

- The backside of the bag has an outside flap.

- There is a zippered compartment inside of the
front flap.

- - Burgundy lining which is believed is the colour
of the uniforms at the convent where Coco Chanel grew up.

- Different type of leather which is made to seem
to be more worn or vintage like leather.

Over the years, there are many
variations to the 2.55 design such as the material; leather or fabric, the
chain; metal or interwoven leather, the flap; single or double and the closure;
mademoiselle or interlocking CC (which was introduced in 1980s by Karl
Lagerfeld). In short, the 2.55 refers to all flap-style bags, including
variations of the original. The term classic flap is generally refers to the
flap bag with the interlocking CC lock and the leather interwoven chain.